


Never Assume Anything

by Widget



Category: CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, Women's Murder Club (TV)
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-04-14
Updated: 2013-04-14
Packaged: 2017-12-08 11:22:56
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 9,674
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/760787
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Widget/pseuds/Widget
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Lindsay Boxer picks up a case that ends up being the work of a serial killer with links to similar murders in Las Vegas.  Sofia Curtis goes to San Francisco to assist.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Neither show belongs to me and never will.

" You rang?"  
  
At the slightly sarcastic drawl, Captain Jim Brass' head jerked up from the papers and files scattered over his desk. Leaning against the doorjamb with arms and ankles crossed, the ever-present toothpick accenting the slight smirk on her face, was Detective Sofia Curtis. At his nod and wave of hand, she moved into his office and settled into one of the chairs in front of his desk and eyed him thoughtfully.  
  
Having been partnered with him on and off since her return from Boulder City 2 years ago, where she had pursued her dream of getting her detectives shield, Sofia could read his dour face and as a result, she could read the concern evident there.   
  
"So, what was so important that you had to call me in on my day off. I haven't had a day off in 3 weeks; the Duvall case is sewn up tight thanks to the evidence Sara dug up, ha ha, from his garden. What's up?"  
  
Brass cleared his throat and rested his clasped hands on the file in front of him. "Don't worry, that case is solid and no, we're not short staffed tonight," the last said with a small smile. "How would you like to take off to San Francisco for a little while?" His smile grew a bit bigger as Sofia just blinked a couple of times, obviously processing the seemingly random comment.  
  
"Well, I've always wanted to visit. Any particular reason you called me in to ask that?" Sofia's bewilderment was obvious.  
  
"Do you remember the Tabletop murders, it was about 4 years ago when you were still working the labs with Grissom. Four vics, same MO. We never caught the killer. There was just not enough evidence to tie anyone to the murders." The expression on Brass' face showed just how disappointed he was with the unsolved case.  
  
Sofia's brow furrowed as she tried to call up the details, her hand brushed her long, blonde hair out of her face as she leaned forward.  
  
"That was the one where the killer nailed his vics to their dining room table by their hands and tormented them for 2 days before finally raping and killing them, yes? I remember that one clearly. Such brutality over a span of 4 weeks, one a weekend, then nothing. All we could ascertain was that the perp was right handed and certainly knew how to use a knife with precision. All the trace we found was generic. White cotton fibres, used for a multitude of things, rope that could have been bought at any hardware store and traces of the chemicals used for Polaroid photos. Not a single trace of DNA, not a fingerprint anywhere. The perp had scrubbed the houses down to get rid of the last trace of himself, then emailed the crime reporter at the Las Vegas Tribune with the address and a Polaroid of the mess he had left behind. And as suddenly as he had appeared, he was gone. We had checked all the databases, trying to see if there were any like murders elsewhere but there were no hits."  
  
Sofia's blue eyes were clouded with memories of the 4 dead women. All four had been in their mid to late twenties, all single, all professionals - two were lawyers, one a bank manager and the other a chartered accountant, all with blonde hair and blue eyes. And she still carried the images of their bodies posed in death, bodies raped and mutilated, all but their faces. It had really gotten to her when they couldn't get a solid lead on a suspect.  
  
Brass watched as various thoughts flickered across Sofia's face, waiting for that moment of realisation. He didn't have long to wait.  
  
"Wait a minute! You mean he's back? He's started up again? Where? Oh, San Francisco, that's right. They linked their case up with ours?"  
  
Brass smiled quietly to himself, pleased to see the fire igniting in Sofia's bright blue eyes, her hands tightly gripping the armrests of her chair.  
  
"That's right. All those details you so painstakingly entered into the database 4 years ago match 2 dead women in San Francisco. An Inspector Boxer of the San Francisco PD called me about an hour ago asking about our case. I've emailed her our reports and such and I asked to be kept in the loop. We have since received a request from their Chief of Police for any assistance we can offer. The Sheriff kindly offered one of the people who worked on the original case. So, what do you say?" Brass peered at Sofia from under his eyebrows, knowing the answer before he even asked the question.  
  
Sitting up straight, Sofia smiled fiercely in anticipation. Maybe now she had a chance to catch the bastard.  
  
"I'll go pack my bags. When do I leave?"  
  
With a smirk, Brass moved one of the papers on his desk, revealing some travel documents. "Here are your e-tickets. Your flight departs tomorrow morning at 0655 on UA1431. That gives you enough time to get all your notes together, get packed and get some sleep. Inspector Boxer will meet you at the airport on the other side. Accommodation has been organised by the people in San Francisco. You'll have an expense account, just please, don't blow it. I have to justify it to the Sheriff's bean counters later."  
  
At that last comment, Sofia snorted softly. Paperwork was the bane of any cop's job, though the Sheriff seemed to delight in it.  
  
"Thanks, Brass. I'll dig out my old notebooks as well; I want to bring as much info to the tale as possible. I don't want this guy to get away again. We only have 2 more weeks if he keeps to his pattern."  
  
Sofia's brow creased as she started planning the rest of her time. She was jerked out of her thoughts by a small cough from Brass. A soft thud on the desk in front of her had her bringing her attention back to the here and now. A small notebook sat on the edge of the desk in front of her. At Sofia's quizzical look, Brass shrugged.  
"My notebook from the Tabletop case. Thought you may want to read through it, add it to the mix."  
  
A smile slowly curved Sofia's lips.  
  
"Thanks, Jim."  
  
With that, Sofia collected all her papers and headed for the office door and the lab of Sara Sidle, the other CSI who had been assigned to the Tabletop murders.  
  
"Get the bastard for us, Sophia."  
  
With one last nod and a very determined tread, Sofia headed out.


	2. Chapter 2

With a soft thank you, Inspector Lindsay Boxer ended her call. With a pensive look on her face, she tapped her cell phone against her lips a few times before slipping into her coat pocket.  
  
Her partner, Inspector Warren Jacobi, having finished his sandwich, tossed the wrapper into a bin as they headed back to their car.   
  
"Good news?" Jacobi broke into her thoughts as he slid behind the wheel.  
  
"Hmm? Oh, yes. That was Tom. Apparently the Chief leaned on his counterpart over in Las Vegas for some co-operation. In addition to all that paperwork we received from the LVPD earlier, they're sending one of their detectives over to work with us. Detective Curtis worked on the case when our killer struck over there four years ago. Hopefully that will give us some insight into his sick mind."   
  
Lindsay's Texan drawl was pronounced, giving away just how tired the Inspector was. They had been working on this particular case for 2 weeks solid now and other that the hit on the database, had very little to show for it. Every potential lead had petered out, leaving an increasingly frustrated Inspector. The brutal nature of the two killings, each a week apart, here in San Francisco haunted Lindsay. She had seen the many horrific ways one person could kill another in her years working Homicide, but this was right up there with the worst. She vividly remembered when the first murder was brought to her attention.  
  
-oOo-  
  
Two weeks earlier, Lindsay had been having a good day. The weather was pleasant, her paperwork was, for the most part, up to date and she'd just won lunch on her partner for the rest of the week. All was good in her world. Then her phone rang.  
  
"Boxer," was her usual curt answer.  
  
"Lindsay! Lindsay, you need to get here! You need to get here now!" Cindy Thomas, crime reporter for The Registrar and friend, whispered harshly.   
  
"Cindy. Cindy, slow down! Take a deep breath and calm down." Lindsay paused and heard a big gulp of air being inhaled over the phone, followed by a few more regulated breaths. "Okay. Now, where are you?"  
  
"I'm at my desk. I'm at work. Lindsay, you need to see this. Please, you need to come." Cindy's voice was husky with urgency, suppressed tears audible as she struggled to keep calm.  
  
"Okay. All right. Sit tight and I'll be there as soon as I can. I'm leaving now, okay? Are you okay? You're not hurt, are you?" Lindsay's throat tightened at the possibility of her friend being hurt. As she spoke, she was gathering her things, ready to head out the door as soon as the call was finished.  
  
"Okay. Thanks. I … thanks. I'll see you now."  
  
As soon as the call disconnected Lindsay threw her leather coat on, filling Jacobi in on the call and her plan to head out.  
  
"Want some company?" Jacobi's concern for his favourite reporter obvious.  
  
"No, let's see what the situation is. I'll call if I need anything. Thanks, though." The last said with a quick smile.  
  
"No problem. Fill me in when you can. It's almost home time anyway, so I'll head out if you don't need me."  
  
With a grateful nod, Lindsay grabbed her car keys and briskly strode out.  
  
  
A short while later, an anxious Cindy almost collapsed with relief at the sight of the tall, dark Texan heading her way. With a tremulous smile, the redheaded reporter waved Lindsay over.  
  
With a quick glance around to make sure none of the other reporters were taking any notice, Cindy carefully picked up the A4 envelope on her desk and led the now very curious Inspector to an empty office.  
  
As soon as the door closed behind them, Lindsay pinned Cindy with a laser-like glare.  
  
"Okay, spill. What's got you acting so weird, well weirder than usual?" The brusque tone clearly told Cindy that Lindsay's patience was quickly coming to an end.   
  
Taking a deep breath and slowly easing it out, Cindy settled into one of the office chairs and carefully opened the envelope and tapped on it. With each tap, an A4 sheet of paper was slowly revealed, along with 4 Polaroids. Once everything was out of the envelope, Cindy carefully used the eraser end of her pencil to spread the photos and letter out. The tremble of her hand was noticeable.  
  
Lindsay, after watching the care that Cindy took with they documents, eased over next to Cindy and got her first good look at the Polaroids. Her sharp gasp was clearly audible, as was the soft, vicious "Damn!"  
  
The four Polaroids were all of the same blond woman, in the same pose. What had caused Lindsay's reaction and Cindy's frantic phone call was the fact that the photos documented various stages of the torture of the woman. In the fourth photo, it was quite obvious that the woman was dead. A quick scan of the letter showed a typed address, nothing more.  
  
"When did you get this? How did it arrive?"   
  
Lindsay's cop instincts kicked in, asking questions while she pulled latex gloves out of her pocket and put them on. She gave a quick squeeze to Cindy's shoulder before carefully picking up the envelope to examine it.  
  
Cindy had slowly relaxed, obviously feeling much better now that her dark haired cop friend was there. She ran her hand though her hair before puffing out a breath.  
  
"Well, it was on my desk when I get back from running down a lead for a story I'm writing. I got back here about 4:30 and saw this and a couple of other envelopes on my desk. The mail guy was sick today, so somebody obviously only had a chance to check the mail this afternoon. I had finished off my article, and then went through my mail. That was the last envelope I opened. One of the Polaroids spilled out when I opened the envelope. When I saw that poor woman, I called you right away. I put that picture back in the envelope and tried not to touch it more than I had to. I checked with the mailroom, someone had signed for the mail delivery at 9 this morning; I would assume this was with all the other mail in the bag. As you can see, the envelope was addressed to me, care of The Registrar, and by the postmark, you can see that must have been posted yesterday, here in the city. More than that, I do not know."  
  
All through her explanation, Cindy's grip on her clasped hands had tightened. The thought that whoever had done such a horrendous thing had obviously meant for Cindy to receive the pictures was obviously distressing.  
  
When Cindy stopped talking, Lindsay carefully put the envelope down and moved over to the visibly disturbed redhead. She rested her hand on her shoulder inn a gesture of comfort.  
  
"Okay, then. You know I have to ask, so don't get upset with me. Has anyone else seen these? Made copies of these?" Her grip tightened at the reflex tightening of the reporter's shoulders.  
  
"Of course not! I know better than that! I know that that is evidence. Just like I know that you'll give me first dibs on the story. It's only fair."  
  
At Cindy's indignant tone, a small smile appeared on Lindsay's' face, before being quickly stifled.  
  
"I know that, Thomas, relax. I had to ask, though." Lindsay quickly soothed ruffled feathers.  
  
"I would assume that the address on the letter is where we will find the vic's body. Let me call it in and get the building cordoned off and the crime scene guys out there. Do you have something I can put the envelope in to seal it? It's unlikely that we'll get any fingerprints off it, but you never know."  
  
Handing over a plastic sleeve from a file on the desk, Cindy gave a small smile to show that she wasn't upset about the questions.  
  
"Are you going to call Claire? Since this poor woman is going to end up in her morgue in while, she may like the heads up."  
  
Flashing a quick smile of acknowledgement, Lindsay quickly sealed the plastic sleeve with cello tape and her signature with a handy magic marker, and then tucked the evidence under her arm. She gestured for Cindy to head back out the office and dug out her cell phone to make all the necessary calls.   
  
When she reached Cindy's desk, the redhead had totally regained her composure and was digging though her desk for her bag, notepad and keys.  
  
"And where do you think you're going?" Lindsay's voice was resigned. She knew what the answer was going to be.  
  
"I'm gong with you. You're going to the murder scene and I want to be there. I'm a part of this, weather you like it or not. So deal with it!" Cindy's tone, as was her pose, was the very definition of determination and defiance. Arms crossed, chin up, she stared straight into Lindsay's eyes as if daring her to say no. Surprise flickered over her expressive face at the answer she received.  
  
"Sure." Lindsay shrugged. The fact that the killer had specifically chosen her reporter friend to send the disturbing material to was worrying. At least with her tagging along, Lindsay could keep an eye on her, keep her safe. This way, she could hopefully also curb Cindy's extreme methods of getting leads for her story.  
  
Lindsay shooed the startled redhead towards the exit and her car. The quicker they got there, the sooner they would start to get some answers.  
  
  
After an exhausting 6 hours, the crime scene had been put under a microscope, the body sent off to the morgue and all the door-to-doors in the vicinity were done. And they had nothing. Not one good lead. Hell, not even a whiff of a lead.  
  
A frustrated Lindsay strode over to where Cindy sat, patiently waiting, in her beloved Maggie.  
  
"Okay, now can you tell me more about what you saw inside? I can't believe that you wouldn't let me in. Well, actually, I can, but still! It's not like I don't know how to behave myself at a crime scene." Cindy had popped out of her car as soon as she saw Lindsay heading her way.  
  
Lindsay gave a big sigh, tiredly rubbing her burning eyes.  
  
"Cindy, I saw your reaction to seeing the one photo. I was not going to let you see the actual dead body. Trust me, it was not pretty." Lindsay's low voice was husky with remembered horror. The image of the poor blond nailed to her own table, sliced to ribbons, was still very fresh in her mind.  
  
"I spoke to Claire, she'll be doing the autopsy first thing tomorrow morning. Maybe she can give us more information because there was nothing here. It's almost sterile, that's how well this guy cleaned up after himself. The only place left as is was the dining room. And there was no trace of anyone else in that house but the vic."  
  
Lindsay leaned against the car and looked over at Cindy, the streetlight across the street casting shadows over her face.  
  
"Are you going to be alright tonight? If you want, you can crash at my place. Martha won't mind."  
  
A genuine smile spread over Cindy's features, obviously touched at the offer.  
  
"Thanks, Lindsay, but I'll be okay. Are we still on for Papa Joe's after work tomorrow?"  
"Yeah, barring any disasters. I'll let you know what time once I've checked with Claire and Jill."  
  
"Okay, good. I'll see you tomorrow then. You're heading home now, right? You look tired. Maybe fresh eyes will help when you look over the reports tomorrow."  
  
Lindsay gave a half-smile at that, flashing a dimple. She quickly rubbed her hands over her face before pushing off of Maggie.  
  
"Yes, Ma. I'll go home once I've gotten the last of the door-to-door statements. I'll see you tomorrow then."  
  
With that, Cindy smiled and slid back into her car and watched as Lindsay headed back to the cluster of uniforms gathered near the sealed off building, swagger much in evidence. After making sure that Lindsay had no intention of doing anything other that what she had said she was going to do, Cindy started her car and headed off homewards.  
  
-oOo-  
  
That had been the start of Lindsay's present nightmare. Claire had been able to tell them a lot about how Sally Bernstein, a lawyer, had died but very little about the killer, other than that he was right-handed and meticulous in the way he had cut into her. No other leads were forthcoming.   
  
Then the second envelope had been sent to Cindy, who had not even opened it before calling Lindsay. The second crime scene was almost a mirror image of the first and just as horrifying.  
  
Lindsay had realised that this was obviously the same killer, with the same pattern. That's when she had started searching the databases for similar murders. When she got a hit for a spree of 4 bodies in Las Vegas 4 years previously, she realised that they had a particularly nasty serial killer on their hands. The Inspector had wasted no time in contacting the investigating officer, a Captain Jim Brass. After explaining her situation, Captain Brass had been very forthcoming with the information on his investigation and had promptly send her all the reports he had on file.  
  
She had reported the match with the Vegas case to her Lieutenant and as a direct result, she was going to be playing host to one of the investigators.  
  
"So, are you going to be meeting up with our Vegas counterpart at the airport tomorrow or are you going to send a uniform to escort them in?" Jacobi's voice broke into her dark thoughts again.  
  
"I think I'll do the meet and greet. I want to get a feel for this Detective Curtis. And I also want to get the briefing over with as soon as possible. I want to find this killer! The sooner we pool our resources, the sooner we'll be able to track him down."  
"Fair enough. I'll be sure to bring in extra doughnuts tomorrow."  
  
Lindsay chuckled at that. "You do that. Don't forget the ones with the sprinkles."  
  
Jacobi smirked at her. "Heaven forbid I forget the sprinkles. So, back to the office?"  
  
"Back to the office. I want to organise a space for Detective Curtis, finagle a desk and a chair at the very least. Then I want to organise what we have, compare it to the Vegas case and see what pops up."  
  
"Something has to give. Nobody can pull off the perfect murder. They all make a mistake eventually."  
  
"Exactly. I just hope we can do this before we have another victim. If he follows pattern Cindy will be receiving another envelope on Monday."  
  
On that sombre note, the rest of the drive was completed in silence.


	3. Chapter 3

Stifling a yawn, Sofia made her way down the aisle, blue eyes scanning for her seat number. She sincerely hoped that she wouldn't be trapped next to a little old lady returning home from her annual gambling spree. Or worse, someone snoring the whole flight and drooling over her shoulder. She shuddered. Once had been bad enough. Maybe she'd even be lucky and not have to share her row.  
  
Having found her seat, the tall blonde stowed her hand luggage, after extracting her laptop. As she settled into her seat, sharp blue eyes took in the other commuters on the early morning flight to San Francisco. For a Wednesday, the flight was surprisingly full, though only half the plane was occupied. Sofia's luck held and nobody sat in the seat next to her.  
  
Soon the seatbelt sign pinged on, followed by the voice of the head air hostess, thanking them for flying United Airways and going on to the safety speech. Sofia tuned the voice out as she fastened her seatbelt and settled in for the duration of the trip. Within minutes, the aircraft had taxied to their designated runway and taken off. The moment the seatbelt sign pinged off, Sofia had hers loosened and her laptop powering up.   
  
She had spent the time since leaving Brass' office yesterday afternoon most productively. She had made paper copies of all the reports and files relating to the Tabletop murders, as well as downloading and scanning it all onto her laptop. If need be, she wanted all the information to literally be at her fingertips. The rest of her time had been spent packing, organising with her neighbour to keep an eye on her apartment and refreshing her memory with the finer details of the murders. Which had led to a late dinner and a troubled sleep, hence the tiredness this morning.  
  
She opened up the file containing the info from Brass' notebook and continued on from where she had left off the night before. Deciphering Brass' handwriting was still a mission, even after working with him for years. Her only interruption was a friendly air hostess, entirely too chipper for so early in the morning, offering her a choice of beverages and snacks. The captain's voice, advising them of their arrival in San Francisco and the weather conditions, took her by surprise. The time had passed a lot quicker than expected.  
  
As Sofia prepared for the landing, her thoughts turned to what awaited her at her destination. She didn't know much at all about the latest murders other than the fact that the latest killings matched the MO of their killer. Undoubtedly she would soon learn more.  
  
After the chaos of disembarking, Sofia retrieved her firearm from the sky marshal and headed to baggage claim to fight the crowds for her single piece of baggage. After having won that particular battle, Sofia suddenly realised that she had no idea who was meeting her or, more importantly, what they looked like.  
  
-oOo-  
  
Lindsay checked to see that everything was in order. She'd managed to get a spare desk squeezed in next to her and Jacobi's desks. It made for a bit of a tight fit but rather that than having to yell across several other desks with the usual noise of a busy homicide division.   
  
With one last glance at her watch, Lindsay decided she had just enough time to make it to the airport. She waved to get Jacobi's attention and, pointing to her watch, mimed that she was going. Jacobi, scribbling a note while on the phone, nodded and waved goodbye. He was still busy compiling a list of all the possible links between their two victims, though he hadn't gotten any matches yet.  
  
Lindsay shrugged into her black leather jacket as she headed out to her car. As she was sliding behind the wheel, she realised that she had no idea what Detective Curtis looked like. With a shrug, Lindsay started her car and pulled out into the traffic. How hard could it be to spot a cop in a crowd?  
  
With luck, Lindsay managed to find a spot to park quite close to the terminal she needed to be at. With a quick glance at the time, Lindsay made her way into the terminal with minutes to spare. A check of the board showed that UA1431 was on time and had in fact just landed. Lindsay made her way to a spot that was out of the way of the crowds, yet had a clear view of the baggage claim area and settled down to wait.  
Sofia made sure she still had all her belongings, and then headed away from the brawl that was the baggage claim area. Her plan of action was simple. First she would check and see if anyone was obviously looking for her. If she didn't have any luck with that, she'd find herself some coffee and then call the number Brass had given her for Inspector Boxer. With a characteristic swagger, Sofia headed into the main part of the terminal and scanned the crowds.   
  
Suddenly, a tingle raced up her back, causing the fine hairs at the back of her neck to stand on end. The next moment a low, husky voice drawled behind her.  
  
"Detective Curtis."  
  
Lindsay had immediately spotted the detective she was waiting for. Not what she had expected, but she was none the less pleasantly surprised. A striking blonde strode out of the baggage claim area, a laptop bag/rucksack over her left shoulder and pulling a wheeled suitcase with her left hand. She was wearing stonewashed blue jeans, a brown leather jacket over a white collared shirt and brown leather boots, and she wore it well. Lindsay caught a glimpse of a gun and a badge at the tall woman's right hip and couldn't hold back a chuckle. Here was a confident woman who knew who she was and how to handle herself. She watched as bright blue eyes scanned the area before Detective Curtis turned towards the lounge area of the terminal.   
  
Lindsay quickly made her way over to the blond, not wanting to lose her in the crowd. Goosebumps chased up her arms just as she called out to the detective from Las Vegas.  
  
At the sound of her name, Sofia quickly turned around. Making her way towards Sofia was a vision dressed in black from head to toe. Black leather jacket over a black button down shirt, which was tucked into snug black jeans and matching black boots. Sofia's cop brain automatically noted the long, brunette hair framing a strong face dominated by determined brown eyes and the stubborn tilt of her jaw, followed by the gun and badge comfortably resting on her left hip. Here was a woman who didn't take any nonsense from anybody. Sofia stepped forward and held out her hand.  
  
"Inspector Boxer, I presume"  
  
Lindsay shook the proffered hand, smiling in acknowledgement. Chocolate brown eyes met sky blue ones, searching, testing, and finding will and determination to match her own. Her welcoming smile stretched into a grin.  
  
"Call me Lindsay and welcome to San Francisco."  
  
Sofia blinked at the flash of dimples and the warm grin, slightly stunned, before smiling back and giving the warm hand in hers one last squeeze.  
  
"Thanks. And it's Sofia."  
"Great! Well, if this is all your stuff, what say you we head out? Oh, unless you'd like to grab a coffee to go. I know just how bad airline coffee can be."  
  
Sofia laughed at that, and then gestured to her gear.  
  
"This is all I brought with me. I got my firearm before I went to get my bag. I figured if I couldn't make my way through the crowd, I could always shoot my way through. And coffee would be great! I swear they just whiffed the coffee beans past cups of warm water and called it coffee."  
  
Lindsay chuckled in agreement and headed towards the closest coffee shop.  
  
After Sofia had grabbed her coffee, Lindsay lead the blond towards her car, having lightened Sofia's load by claiming her wheelie bag.  
  
"So, would you like to settle in first or would you like to head straight into the office?"  
  
"Well, as much as I'd like to jump right in, I'd rather dump the excess stuff. I'd prefer not having to drag it all around with me all day."  
  
"Fair enough. Well, as for accommodation, you have two options. Option one is your basic hotel where we usually book our out of town visitors. It's a fair distance from the precinct though and traffic to and fro is just a nightmare."  
  
Sofia wrinkled her nose at that. She hated dealing with traffic in Las Vegas. The thought of trying to make her way through heavy traffic in a city she did not know really didn't appeal to her.  
  
"And option number two?"  
  
"Option two is you bunk with me. I stay quite close to work and I have a spare room that's empty. As long as you don't mind dogs and sharing a bathroom, you can crash at my place. What do you say?"  
  
This hadn't been the original plan. In fact, it saw very much a spur of the moment offer. But something about the blond just grabbed at Lindsay. And it really was much more convenient this way.  
  
Sofia turned in her seat to get a good look at Lindsay. She watched as the brunette competently weaved her way through the traffic. The offer to stay at Lindsay's house had surprised her. She got the impression that Lindsay was very much a stand-alone type and that this offer was a bit out of character. To be truthful, the San Francisco cop fascinated her for some reason. And she'd really like the chance to get to know her better.  
  
"I'd say I'm gonna go for door number two, if that's alright with you. As a CSI, I had to process way too many hotel rooms and I can honestly say that I'd sleep better in a dumpster. At least with a dumpster, you know exactly what you're sleeping on, you know?"  
"Are you saying that you think my place is a dump? You haven't even seen it yet!"  
  
Sofia shot a horrified glance in Lindsay's direction, taking in the scowl pulling dark brows down over brown eyes. Not even 30 minutes in San Francisco and she had already put her foot in it. Way to go, Curtis!  
  
"No, no, no! No, I'm sorry, that's not what I meant. I was just saying …"  
  
Sofia's horrified babbling petered out as Lindsay threw her head back and roared with laughter. It took a couple of minutes, and a few spurts of renewed laughter at the nasty look being levelled at her from her right, but Lindsay eventually wound down and got her breath back with one last hiccupping sigh.  
  
"Oh, man, thanks for that. I haven't had such a good laugh in ages. I think I really needed that. I'm sorry. You just set yourself up so beautifully and I just couldn't resist."  
  
Lindsay favoured her companion with a full on smile, dimples flashing in both cheeks and laughter still lurking in warm, brown eyes.  
  
Sofia's annoyance at being the butt of Lindsay's joke had quickly faded at the joyous sound of the brunette's laughter, though she hid it behind the nasty look she was giving Lindsay. At the genuine smile send her way, her breath caught in her throat. In that one instant, Sofia saw right to the core of Lindsay. She saw past all the masks the stoic cop usually wore and saw the battered innocence, the gentle heart, which kept Lindsay at her job, fighting to bring the monsters to justice.   
  
She sighed softly and, tucking her long, blond hair behind her ear, smiled gently back.  
  
"Laugh it up, Boxer. Next time, though, the jokes gonna be on you."  
  
"We'll see about that! Anyway, we'll swing by my place so you can dump your stuff and meet Sweet Martha and then we'll meet up with my partner back at the Hall."  
  
"The Hall?"  
  
"Yeah, the Hall of Justice. That's where Homicide is based, along with Sex Crimes, Auto Theft, and Robbery. The DA is on the eighth floor and the morgue is next door. Everything you need in one easy stop."  
  
"Convenient. Anyway, it sounds like a plan. I've brought copies of everything we had on our murders. I know Brass sent you the info, but I'm all for rather being safe than sorry. I've also brought my old notebook, as well as Brass'. Between the two, we've got all the bases covered, his from the investigators point of view, mine from the CSI's."  
  
Lindsay shot a quick glance at Sofia, an eyebrow raised in query.  
  
"I didn't catch it before, but you were a CSI? But you're a cop now, right? Why the change?"  
  
"Well, long story short, my mom's a cop, a captain with the LVPD and I've always wanted to be a cop. Just before I qualified for detective, I was transferred over to dayshift CSI. I worked my way up to supervisor until I was shuffled over to graveyard shift, and not as supervisor. I worked there for a while until I had the chance to go for my detectives shield in a nearby town. I made the move, stayed there for about six months before moving back to Vegas when a spot opened up at the LVPD. And I've been there ever since."  
  
"Hm, interesting tale. I'm sure I'll want to hear the long version at some stage. But at least you can bring a different perspective to our cases. And you'll be able to translate all the scientific reports our CSU's send us." The last was said with a grin.  
  
"I live to serve." Came the joking reply.  
  
Shortly afterwards, Lindsay pulled into her driveway and waved her hand at her house.   
  
"Welcome to Casa Boxer. Come meet Martha and pack your stuff away."  
  
With that, Lindsay got out the car, popped the trunk and hauled out Sofia's bag, Sofia quickly following. Lindsay led the way up the wooden steps of the porch and unlocked the front door. Martha quickly came to greet, licking Lindsay's hand before carefully eyeing the newcomer. Sofia slowly walked up to the Border collie, holding her hand out for Martha to sniff. After a thorough examination, Martha obviously decided the tall blond was all right and nuzzled her head under the proffered hand.   
  
After giving the sweet dog a good scratch behind the ears, Sofia looked up and followed Lindsay inside, closing the door behind her.  
  
After giving Sofia a quick tour and pointing out the spare room, Lindsay hustled the blond cop out the door, barely giving her time to grab her rucksack.  
  
On the short drive to the Hall, Lindsay gave Sofia a brief rundown of the San Francisco murders, ending off with the scarcity of evidence left at the scenes.  
  
"I cannot believe that we don't have one solid lead yet. The closest thing to one is the envelope that is delivered to the Registrar on the Monday after each murder was committed. So far, each one has been dropped into the mailbox of a busy local post office. So far he hasn't used the same mailbox. Unfortunately, it's totally impractical to have a police officer posted at each mailbox in the city, waiting for the next delivery. And as horrible as it seems, unless we crack this soon, there will be another delivery."  
Lindsay's tone was grim and her grip on the steering wheel was so tight her knuckles were white, showing just how frustrated she was by their lack of progress.  
  
Sofia's eyes were sympathetic, remembering her own frustration four years ago. She reached over and rested her hand on a tense forearm, soft leather warm under her hand.  
  
"I won't tell you to relax, not to worry about it. What I will tell you is that we will do our utmost, dedicate every waking moment, to catching this bastard and putting him away for a very, very long time."  
  
Sofia's quiet voice was steely with determination and conviction, her eyes icy blue as they met frustrated brown. With one last squeeze, Sofia dropped her hand and settled back into her seat.  
  
The next couple of minutes passed in silence as Lindsay contemplated what Sofia had just said. As Lindsay parked in front of the Hall, she took a deep breath and let out a long sigh, slumping down in her seat. She turned her head and met understanding blue eyes.  
  
"Thank you. I know if we can just find one good lead, we'll nail this guy. We just need a direction. So, thanks for the pep talk. Anyway, here we are, your office away from the office for the next little while. Come on, let me show you to your desk."  
  
"Wow, I actually get a desk. Nice."  
  
Lindsay laughed. "I promise, it's nothing fancy. Just somewhere to spread your stuff."  
  
With that, Lindsay got out the car and waited for Sofia to join her. Heading inside, she introduced Sophia to the desk sergeant and fixed her up with a visitor's badge.  
  
"This aught to get you further than that out of town cop badge you've got attached to your belt."  
  
Startled, Sophia looked down. Yes, there it was, her LVPD detective's shield, gleaming proudly in the fluorescent lighting. To Lindsay's amusement, a faint blush crept up from Sophia's collar until her whole face was lightly tinted.  
  
Sophia self-consciously cleared her throat. "I didn't even think about it when I got dressed this morning. It's a part of the routine, you know. I'd feel half naked without my badge and my gun on."  
  
Lindsay smiled and nodded, "I know exactly what you mean. Come on, let me introduce you around and then we can get down to work."  
  
After showing Sophia where everything was and introducing her to everyone in the Homicide division, Lindsay waved Jacobi over and lead them to the conference room she had claimed for the duration of the case.  
  
Inside, two murder boards covered the one wall, one for each victim. On it was a summary of all the information on each victim and related crime scenes. Files and reports were neatly stacked on the table nearby.  
  
"Alright everybody, let's compare the Vegas crime scenes with ours"  
  
And with that, the three homicide cops started sifting through all the information, looking for anything that would send them on the path towards their killer.


	4. Chapter 4

The sound of a cell phone ringing broke the silence in the conference room, startling all three readers. After the typical 'is it yours, oh sorry, it's mine' shuffle, Lindsay answered her phone in her usual style.  
  
"Boxer"  
  
"You know, you could sound friendlier when you answer to phone. That way, maybe you won't scare everyone away."  
  
Lindsay sighed, "What can I do for you, Cindy. I'm kinda busy at the moment."  
  
The red headed reporter just laughed.  
  
"Lindsay, it's quarter to one. Aren't you meeting us for lunch? We're all here, waiting for you."  
  
"What! It can't be that late already, can it?"   
  
A quick glance at her watch confirmed the time, just as a loud growl came from the stomach to her left. After a quick glance and smirk at a very embarrassed Sophia, Lindsay turned her attention back to the phone conversation.  
  
"Sorry about that. We must have lost track of time. Do you guys mind if I bring along a friend?"  
  
There was a quick pause, before a hand muffled the phone on the other side and Lindsay could just make out Cindy's voice asking Claire and Jill if they minded an extra. After getting a response, Cindy was back on the phone.  
  
"Nope, no objections this side. Make it quick though, Claire's about to start chewing on the tableware."  
  
An indignant squawk, followed by a smacking sound and laughter came over the phone.  
  
"Ouch, no hitting! Lindsay, you'd better hurry! I'm being assaulted by a napkin wielding madwoman!" With a last giggle, Cindy hung up.  
  
Lindsay just shook her head, hung up, and with a half-smile on her face turned to the other two.   
  
"How about lunch. I know I'm not the only one who's hungry." This said with a sly smile and sideways glance at Sophia.  
  
Sophia just nodded as Jacobi leaned back and stretched muscles cramped from being hunched over files.  
  
"Great idea. It'll also give my eyeballs the chance to straighten out. I'll give you guys in Vegas this much. You certainly were thorough."  
  
Sophia smiled over at Jacobi.  
  
"Thanks. We tried everything we could think of, looking for the smallest possible trace of evidence. I can personally say that we went over those crime scenes on out hands and knees, picking up anything that looked out of place."  
  
Another growl sounded. Sophia quickly covered her stomach and blushed lightly.  
  
"And yes, lunch sounds great."  
  
Lindsay just laughed and started tidying up the folder she had been reading.   
  
"Come on, I'm taking you to Papa Joe's. They serve the best food there. And I'll introduce you to some of my friends."  
  
"Ah, so you're going to let her join your club?" Jacobi smirked, waiting for Lindsay's predictable reaction.  
  
"It's not a club, okay? We just get together and ..." At the sight of Jacobi's amused grin, Lindsay cut herself off and shook her head.  
"Come on, Sophia, let's go get some food. And men are not invited, so there!"  
  
With that, Lindsay stuck her tongue out at Jacobi, grabbed her discarded coat and swept out the door. Sophia grinned at the unrepentant Jacobi and trotted after Lindsay and the promise of food.  
  
A short while later, the two cops entered Papa Joe's, Lindsay pointing out their regular table, already occupied by her friends, and led the way over.  
  
Cindy was the seated facing the door and as a result was the first to spot the two. Cindy nearly inhaled her coffee as she gasped in surprise. Heading her way was what appeared to be a vision, two women, mirror images of each other. One light, the other dark. Both walking with the seductive swagger of true confidence, eyes taking in their surroundings in true cop style. They brought to mind leopards Cindy had once seen at the zoo as a child, one golden, and the other black. The two women walking towards her had that same untamed spirit.   
  
Heat surged through her body and rushed to her face in a blush as two sets of eyes, brown and blue, fastened onto her hazel ones. Cindy was suddenly glad to be seated, the intensity of her reaction to the sight before her causing her knees to turn to quivering jelly. Her stunned silence didn't go unnoticed by her table companions, who followed her line of sight just as Lindsay and Sophia arrived at their table.  
  
"Afternoon, y'all. I'd like to introduce Detective Sophia Curtis of the Las Vegas Police Department. Sophia, I'd like you to meet Claire Washburn, the Chief Medical Examiner, Jill Bernhardt, the Assistant District Attorney, and Cindy Thomas, crime reporter for the San Francisco Registrar."  
  
"Afternoon, ladies. It's a pleasure to meet you all"  
  
At Lindsay's low Texan drawl and Sophia's warm greeting, Cindy's mind finally kicked into gear, but unfortunately for her, not quite before her mouth did.  
  
"My God, do you guys shop at Hot Cops R Us, or is there a special manual handed out to a select few?"  
  
As soon as her words registered, the flush that had just subsided rushed back to her face and Cindy dropped her face into her hands, and then dropped her head to the table in total mortification.  
  
After a beat of surprised silence, the other four burst out laughing, matching blushes on Lindsay and Sofia's faces.  
  
Lindsay pulled a seat over from another table for Sophia before dropping into the seat next to Cindy, who at this stage had her head buried in her arms and was shaking it from side to side, mumbling to herself the whole time.  
  
After a quick glance around the table of amused faces, Lindsay wrapped her arm around poor Cindy's shoulders in a one armed hug.  
  
"Thanks, Cindy. I haven't gotten such an honest compliment in quite a while." Dark eyes met blue as Sophia added her voice to Lindsay's.  
  
"Yeah, that was a real boost to my ego, thank you. Come on; don't feel bad about speaking your mind. I admire your honesty."  
  
At Lindsay's comment, Cindy's body had slumped as the tension ran out of her body. When she heard the warm sincerity in Sophia's voice, Cindy finally relaxed enough to raise her head. Running her hands through her hair and then over her face, Cindy tried to will away her embarrassment. Eventually she raised her eyes, first taking in the highly amused faces of Claire and Jill before turning to face Lindsay and Sophia. Hazel eyes flicked from brown to blue and back again as she took in the expressions of the two cops. She could see the slightly embarrassed pleasure on both their faces, as well as the sincerity in both their eyes. Clearing her throat softly, Cindy took a quick sip of her coffee.  
  
"Um ... sorry about that. I didn't mean to blurt it out like that. It's just ... you looked ... um ... ", Cindy stuttered to a halt as a warm hand settled over her white-knuckled grip on her coffee cup. Hazel eyes flicked up to meet warm blue ones.  
  
"Relax. Breathe. Don't worry about it. I'd say forget about it, but I somehow don't think this lot will ever let you live it down. I'm taking it for the compliment it was. And I just have one last thing to say. I greatly admire your taste."  
  
At this final comment, Sophia smirked and flicked a quick, appreciative glance at Lindsay, whose eyes widened in surprise.  
  
This just set Claire and Jill off again, Jill gasping, "I have finally witnessed a miracle. Not just one but both of you speechless. Priceless!" This, of course, set Claire off again.  
  
After a laser-like glare from Lindsay and a pout from Cindy, the two finally settled down and lunch orders were given.   
  
Sophia just watched it all with an amused smirk on her face. Maybe being in San Francisco wasn't all bad, she thought, as lunch progressed with much banter between friends, both old and new.


	5. Chapter 5

Once everyone's hunger had been tamed, the conversation took a more serious turn.  
  
"So, does our killer's MO match up with yours?"  
  
At Cindy's typically blunt question, Sofia's head jerked up in surprise.  
  
"Um..." Sofia quickly glanced around the table. "Well..." She threw another questioning look in Lindsay's direction. "I don't..."   
  
Lindsay quickly jumped in, putting Sofia out of her misery.  
  
"Relax, Sofia. This is all strictly off the record. Right, Cindy?" The last was punctuated with a sharp look at the red headed reporter.  
  
"Of course," huffed Cindy. "I've been in this club long enough to know the rules. Nothing discussed amongst us gets printed until I get the go ahead from all of you. Sheesh!"  
  
"It's not a club," came Lindsay's automatic reply, Jill and Claire mouthing along, much to Sofia's amusement.  
  
"I was just clearing things up for Sofia. I'm guessing that Vegas cops have much the same love-hate relationship with the press as elsewhere. You, my little newshound, are the exception to the rule."  
  
A light blush dusted Cindy's cheeks, her hazel eyes lighting up with pleasure at Lindsay's words.  
  
Sofia took in the interaction between the Inspector and the reporter. It was quite obvious to her that these two had a special relationship. In fact, all four of these remarkable women shared an amazing bond.   
  
She could see that Claire was the rock, the solid foundation that the other three depended on. Jill, was the slightly jaded one, the cynic. She was the one to keep perspective, and keep the others anchored in facts, not flights of fancy. Lindsay was the protector, the one to try and shield her friends from harm - physical or otherwise. And, Cindy ... Cindy was the essence of innocence and joy, the awestruck child in a world of wonder.  
  
But the relationship between Cindy and Lindsay ran deeper than that, whether the two of them realised it or not. And Sofia was inclined to think that they were unaware of the true depth of their feelings.  
  
Cindy's voice broke into Sofia's thoughts and drew her attention back to the conversation.  
  
"So, are the killers the same?"  
  
With a quick shake of her head, Sofia tucked a strand of long, blond hair behind her ear.  
  
"Yeah, I'd say that this is definitely the same guy. The MO is exactly the same. The victims all match the killer's type. All were blond haired, blue-eyed professionals held captive in their own homes. Nailed to their own dining room tables and tortured over the span of a weekend before being killed. Polaroids and the address arrive at the crime reporter's desk on the Monday, and no helpful evidence is found at the scenes."   
  
There was a moment of silence as everyone realised exactly what this meant.  
  
"Which means he's got two more victims lined up if we don't catch him soon."  
  
Lindsay's voice was tight with frustration as she glared into her coffee cup.  
  
"Claire, if you wouldn't mind, could you go over the coroner's reports that Sofia brought with her? See if there is anything there that catches your eye - anything, no matter how small."  
  
"No problem, honey. Sofia, if you could get those reports to me, I'll get right on it."  
  
"Not a problem. Give me your email address and I'll send it right now."  
  
With that, Sofia hauled out her laptop and powered it up.  
  
Cindy blinked a couple of times and grinned.  
  
"Man, you're organised! Though, if you're as good a cop as my sources say you are, I actually shouldn't be surprised. Maybe I should take notes..."  
  
Sofia picked up a toothpick and tucked it in the corner of her mouth as her laptop booted up. With a sexy smirk and a wicked twinkle in her bright blue eyes, Sofia drawled out her reply.  
  
"I prefer to think that I am very thorough. I pay attention to details, and I'm very good at research. And, I'd be more than happy to show you a thing...or two."   
  
Jill noted with amusement the flirting going on between Sofia, Lindsay, and Cindy. Sofia had subtly been flirting with all the ladies at the table, though her main attention was focused on the two sitting to her left. This development could be very, very interesting. It surprised Jill at how open and friendly Lindsay was towards Sofia. Usually the tall Texan was very slow to trust new people, taking a while to feel them and their intentions out before opening up to them. Cindy, on the other hand, was the exact opposite; open and friendly with everyone, which came in very handy when following up on a story. However, Jill had never seen Cindy so obviously attracted to anyone. Well, other than the enormous crush she had on Lindsay, that is. A quick glance at Claire showed that she wasn't the only one to notice. The speculative gleam in Claire's eye said more than words. Oh, yeah. She would definitely have to keep an eye on this.  
  
A light blush crept up Cindy's face at the words. She ducked her head as several vivid images flickered across her mind's eye as to exactly how thorough Sofia could quite possibly be. She blushed harder as, when she looked up again, Lindsay caught her eye and winked at her.   
  
Sofia caught the byplay and smiled to herself as she took down Claire's email address and sent the requested files.   
  
"There you go, Claire. Doc Robbins did the autopsy on all four of our vics, and he is great with the details. I'm sure he wouldn't have any problems with you giving him a call if you'd like to clear anything up. As a CSI, he'd always take the time to explain anything I wasn't too sure about. Made my job so much easier."  
  
With that, Sofia packed her laptop up again and reached for her coffee. She smiled as she noted the puzzled look on all faces but Lindsay's.  
  
"I used to be a CSI before I got my detective's shield. I find that it really helps me as a detective, knowing exactly what the CSI's are talking about. I know a lot of the other detectives get very frustrated with the Geek Squad, mostly because they have no idea what they're talking about. The science of a crime scene really doesn't interest them; they just want results that can point them in the right direction. Me, I've always wanted to know the why's and how's of what happened, as well as the whodunits, y'know?"  
  
The smiles and nods from the others were ones of understanding, and Sofia went on to tell a few tales of the more bizarre cases she had been involved in. Talk at the table wended from odd cases to more casual conversation as dessert was ordered and enjoyed. To an unknowing observer, the group of women at the table seemed that of old friends enjoying a good meal.  
  
After the last crumb was consumed and the last of the coffee was being savoured, talk turned once more to the case.  
  
"So, what's the plan of action now?" Cindy asked after a sip of coffee, inquisitive eyes taking in her tablemates.   
  
"Hmmm.... Well, Sofia and I, along with Jacobi, are gonna finish going over those reports and see if we can pick up any more similarities between the murders from four years ago and these more recent ones. Claire will be doing the same with the coroner's reports. Cindy, can you see what all you can dig up about the original murders? Do that investigative magic you do." The last bit was said with a smile and a quirk of an eyebrow, as well as a chuckle from Claire and Jill.  
  
Nods came from all around and Jill added her input with a wry grin.  
  
"Since you guys don't have anything worthy of a warrant or such, I'll make some time to see if I can find any cases that came to court that share any similarity to ours. Maybe we'll get lucky and I'll find something...you never know."  
  
"Good idea, Jill. And I think that basically covers all of the bases for now." Lindsay signaled for the bill as she spoke.  
  
Sofia looked around at the four determined women sharing a table with her and shook her head in admiration.   
  
"You know, if sheer determination was all that was needed to solve cases, we'd have this in the bag!"  
  
Grins all around answered her before a lively debate broke out as to whose turn it was to get the check, with much joking and friendly squabbling. Sofia just casually leaned back in her chair and beckoned the waitress over, unobtrusively handing her a credit card and asking her for a receipt for accounting purposes. That done, she crossed her arms and watched with amusement, smirk firmly in place, as a decision was reached. Cindy heaved a sigh and picked up the bill, reaching for her wallet when a warm hand covered hers.  
  
"It's all taken care of, Cindy, don't you worry."  
  
At the quartet of raised eyebrows, Sofia just smiled and shrugged.   
  
"Consider it a thank you for a great meal."  
  
A round of thanks was her reply, and she flashed a warm smile at her newfound friends.  
  
"It's all good! But now, I think we all need to be back in the trenches. Let's see if we can't find that one little lead that'll help us nail this guy!'  
  
A short while later, the five of them spilled out onto the pavement and said their goodbyes before heading off in various directions, their eyes burning with the determination to find this latest monster to stalk the streets.


End file.
